Electrical stimulation is an effective therapy for a variety of conditions and diseases that adversely affect patient health. For example, electrical stimulation has been effective in alleviating chronic pain, movement disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, and pelvic floor disorders. Spinal cord stimulation systems have been found to provide relief for chronic pain. Deep brain stimulation can be effective in treatment of movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease, as well as other neurological disorders such as epilepsy. Stimulation of the gastrointestinal tract can be effective in alleviating gastroparesis and obesity. Stimulation of the pelvic floor can be effective in alleviating urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, pelvic pain, and sexual dysfunction.
Typically, electrical stimulation is delivered by an implantable pulse generator that is chronically implanted within the patient. One or more leads extending from the implantable pulse generator carry electrodes for delivery of stimulation energy to a target tissue or nerve site. A physician may prescribe a course of trial or “screening” stimulation to evaluate the likely efficacy of electrical stimulation therapy for the patient. This trial may include a trial lead percutaneously implanted within the patient and coupled to an external trial stimulator. The trial stimulator may be used to evaluate the efficacy of stimulation before implanting a chronic lead and a chronic stimulator. A chronic stimulator typically requires surgical implantation and may be implanted for several years. Upon successful trial stimulation, a chronic lead and chronic stimulator may be implanted within the patient.